Extraction sleeve coffee making apparatus

Abstract

Described is a system for roasting, grinding, brewing and dispensing coffee comprising a grinding and infusion assembly comprising a tubular extraction sleeve, infuser head and blade grinder, wherein the system further comprises a first seal, being a linear shaft seal for preventing a flow of coffee brew between the infuser head and inner surface of the extraction sleeve during extraction of the coffee grounds; a second seal, being a static seal for preventing a flow of coffee brew between the infuser head and grinder spindle when the grinder is not rotating and in the retracted position; and a third seal, being a rotary shaft seal for preventing the movement of coffee grounds between the infuser head and grinder spindle when the grinder is rotating in the extended position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for roasting, grinding, brewing and dispensing coffee comprising:
 (a) a coffee cartridge containing: (i) unground and (ii) unroasted or part-roasted coffee beans, said cartridge having walls defining a cartridge chamber in which the beans are confined, wherein part or all of at least one wall of the cartridge is openable, and the openable wall of the cartridge is opposed to a slidable wall thereof, said slidable wall comprising:
 i. inner and outer surfaces, the inner surface being in contact with the beans; 
 ii. a peripheral sealing portion on the inner surface; and 
 iii. a central portion bounded by the peripheral sealing portion and comprising a screen for retaining the beans within the cartridge chamber while permitting a flow of coffee brew therethrough; 
   
       wherein said cartridge is secured in a cartridge holder of:
 (b) coffee-making apparatus comprising:
 i. a source of hot water; 
 ii. a collector head adapted to contact and support the outer surface of the slidable wall of the cartridge and to collect coffee brew flowing therethrough; 
 iii. means for bringing the collector head into contact with the outer surface of the slidable wall and for sliding said slidable wall towards the openable wall of the cartridge, thereby opening the wall to produce an opened wall and exposed beans; 
 iv. means for roasting the exposed beans; 
 v. a grinding and infusion assembly for grinding the roasted beans to form coffee grounds and for delivering hot water from said source to said grounds, whereby coffee is extracted to yield a coffee brew; and 
 vi. means for delivering said coffee brew to a drinking vessel for consumption; 
 
 wherein said grinding and infusion assembly comprises:
 i. a tubular extraction sleeve having inner and outer surfaces and a sealing rim, the extraction sleeve being adapted to enter the cartridge chamber via the opened wall such that the sealing rim forms a face pressure seal with the peripheral sealing portion of the slidable wall of the cartridge, which seal isolates the exposed beans from the rest of the cartridge and contains them within an extraction chamber formed by the inner surface of the extraction sleeve and the central portion of the slidable wall; 
 ii. an infuser head in fluid communication with the source of hot water and comprising infuser means comprising one or more outlets for the hot water, the infuser head being co-axial with the extraction sleeve and adapted to reciprocate between a retracted and an extended position within the extraction sleeve and to deliver hot water to coffee grounds within the extraction chamber, whereby coffee is extracted to yield a coffee brew; 
 iii. a blade grinder comprising one or more blade(s) mounted on a spindle, which spindle is co-axial with the extraction sleeve and infuser head and connected to a motor, the grinder being adapted to rotate and reciprocate between a retracted and an extended position within the extraction sleeve, whereby rotation in said extended position levitates the beans off the inner surface of the slidable wall and fragments them to form coffee grounds within the extraction chamber; 
 iv. a first seal, being a linear shaft seal for preventing a flow of coffee brew between the infuser head and inner surface of the extraction sleeve during extraction of the coffee grounds; 
 v. a second seal, being a static seal for preventing a flow of coffee brew between the infuser head and grinder spindle when the grinder is not rotating and in the retracted position; and 
 vi. a third seal, being a rotary shaft seal for preventing the movement of coffee grounds between the infuser head and grinder spindle when the grinder is rotating in the extended position. 
 
 
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the first seal comprises a high pressure linear shaft seal rated to at least 10 bar, to at least 15 bar, at least 18 bar, at least 20 bar or over 18 bar pressure. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the first seal comprises one or more radial O-rings. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the second seal: (a) comprises a high pressure static seal rated to at least 10 bar, at least 15 bar, at least 18 bar, at least 20 bar or over 18 bar pressure; and/or (b) comprises an O-ring face seal; and/or (c) is open when the grinder is rotating and in the extended position. 
     
     
         5 .- 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the third seal: (a) comprises a low pressure rotary shaft seal rated to less than 10 bar; and/or (b) is mounted on the blade grinder spindle and/or the infuser head. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the grinder is adapted to rotate bi-directionally within the extraction sleeve. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a tamping head adapted to tamp the coffee grounds, wherein said tamping head is comprised in said infuser head. 
     
     
         11 .- 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the beans are excluded from the peripheral sealing portion of the slidable wall of the cartridge by a fence disposed on the inner surface of the slidable wall. 
     
     
         14 .- 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the means for roasting the exposed beans comprises a source of a stream of air for levitating the exposed beans. 
     
     
         24 .- 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the hot water is pressurized and the extraction sleeve is adapted to serve as a pressure jacket to contain the pressurized hot water during delivery to the coffee grounds. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the means for bringing the collector head into contact with the outer surface of the slidable wall and for sliding said slidable wall towards the openable wall of the cartridge is adapted to drive the slidable wall of the cartridge towards the openable wall thereof thereby exerting a force of the openable wall such that it opens, so exposing the beans and/or displacing the beans from the cartridge chamber. 
     
     
         31 .- 33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the slidable wall of the cartridge further comprises a peripheral sealing portion on the outer surface thereof and wherein the collector head is adapted to form a pressure seal therewith. 
     
     
         35 .- 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the coffee beans are selected from:
 (a) whole and/or cracked coffee beans; 
 (b) unroasted coffee beans; 
 (c) part-roasted coffee beans; and 
 (e) mixtures of the foregoing. 
 
     
     
         38 .- 43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . A process for producing and dispensing brewed coffee comprising automated, sequential steps of roasting, grinding and extracting: (i) unground and (ii) unroasted or part-roasted coffee beans, the process comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a coffee cartridge as defined in  claim 1 ;   (b) securing the cartridge in a cartridge holder of coffee-making apparatus as defined in  claim 1 ;   (c) roasting the beans; and then   (d) grinding and extracting the roasted beans within a grinding and infusion assembly as defined in  claim 1 .   
     
     
         45 .- 47 . (canceled) 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 37  wherein the unroasted coffee beans are selected from: (i) green coffee beans; (ii) dried coffee beans; (iii) pre-heated coffee beans; and (iv) mixtures of two or more of the foregoing.